Door drive for adjusting vehicle door relative to vehicle body

Abstract

A door drive (2) for adjusting a vehicle door (11) relative to a vehicle body (10) comprises an adjustment portion (21) for transmitting a force between the vehicle door (11) and the vehicle body (10), a drive motor (22), a gear assembly coupling the drive motor (22) to the adjustment portion (21), and a gear housing (24) at least partially surrounding the gear assembly. A guide rail (27) is connected to the gear housing (24). The sliding element (26) is longitudinally guided along the guide rail (27) in the adjustment direction (V). The guide rail (27) has a first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) facing each other and a second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) facing each other for guiding the sliding element (26) in the adjustment direction (V), the guide surfaces (275A, 277A) of the first pair extending transversely to the adjustment direction (V) in a cross-section of the guide rail (27) not parallel to each other, and the guide surfaces (275B, 277B) of the second pair extending transversely to the adjustment direction (V) in a cross-section of the guide rail (27). The guide surfaces (275B, 277B) of the second pair do not run parallel to each other transversely to the adjustment direction (V) in the cross-section of the guide rail (27).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a door drive device for adjusting a vehicle door relative to the vehicle body, as described in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] This type of door drive includes an adjustment section for transmitting force between the door and the vehicle body, a drive motor, a gear assembly coupling the drive motor to the adjustment section, and a gear housing at least partially surrounding the gear assembly. A guide rail is connected to the gear housing. A sliding element is guided on the guide rail and is adjustable by the gear assembly and coupled to the adjustment section.

[0003] The door drive mechanism described in WO 2021 / 023893 A1 has a fixed belt type adjustment section hinged to the vehicle body and adjustable via a door drive mechanism on the door side to move the door relative to the vehicle body in this manner. The door drive mechanism has a gear assembly in the form of a main shaft gear pair, having a rotatable main shaft threadedly engaged with a main shaft nut portion of a sliding element, such that by rotating the main shaft, the sliding element can be longitudinally adjusted on a guide rail to move the adjustment section to adjust the door.

[0004] In this door drive system, the drive motor can be, for example, located on one side of the door. An adjustment mechanism is coupled to the vehicle body and operatively connected to the drive motor, allowing the adjustment mechanism to be adjusted via the drive motor, thereby generating a force between the door and the vehicle body for electrically adjusting the door relative to the vehicle body. Because structural space within the door is limited, this door drive system should be constructed in a space-saving manner, occupying only a relatively small amount of structural space within the door.

[0005] With the help of such a door drive device, automatic electric adjustment of the door can be realized, for example, in automatic operation, or electric-assisted manual adjustment of the door can be realized in servo operation.

[0006] In operation, the sliding element is adjusted to move the adjusting portion along the guide rail. In the door drive device described in WO 2021 / 023893 A1, the C-shaped guide rail is, for example, configured as a curved metal plate component that guides the sliding element within a box-shaped internal space.

[0007] Improvements are needed to guide the sliding elements on the guide rails, especially considering that dirt and water may seep into the guide rails during the product lifecycle of the door drive unit, potentially leading to increased wear and noise during operation. It is also desirable to facilitate coordinated sliding guidance of the sliding elements on the guide rails.

[0008] One object of the present invention is to provide a door drive device for adjusting a vehicle door, which allows for improved guidance of the sliding element on a guide rail in a simple and economical manner, so as to ensure reliable operation throughout the product life of the door drive device.

[0009] This objective is achieved by an object having the features of claim 1.

[0010] Therefore, the door drive mechanism has a first pair of guide surfaces facing each other and a second pair of guide surfaces facing each other for guiding the sliding element along the adjustment direction. The first pair of guide surfaces extends transversely to the adjustment direction and is not parallel to each other in the cross-section of the guide rail. The second pair of guide surfaces extends transversely to the adjustment direction and is not parallel to each other in the cross-section of the guide rail.

[0011] The door drive mechanism has an adjustment section that can be adjusted under the drive of an electric drive motor to generate an adjustment force between the door and the vehicle body. The adjustment section is, for example, connected to a gear element of a gear assembly on one side and the other side, so that the angular position of the door relative to the vehicle body can be changed by adjusting the adjustment section, thereby allowing the door to pivot relative to the vehicle body.

[0012] The door drive unit can be specifically configured to automatically and electrically adjust the door between a closed position and a fully or partially open position. Additionally or alternatively, the door drive unit can be configured to electrically assist the user in manually adjusting the door during servo operation, such that the user must apply a substantially constant (small) adjustment force along the adjustment path of the door, and the required force is applied by the drive motor of the door drive unit.

[0013] In the door drive mechanism, the adjustment of the adjusting section is achieved by a drive motor adjusting a sliding element along a guide rail via a gear assembly, so that adjusting force is introduced into the adjusting section through the sliding element. The guide rail extends longitudinally along the adjusting direction. The sliding element is guided on the guide rail along the adjusting direction, and thus can move along the guide rail in the adjusting direction.

[0014] Traditional guide rails have a C-shape in cross-section transverse to the adjustment direction, defining a box-shaped internal space and providing guidance for the sliding element on six guide surfaces arranged at right angles to each other. Lateral (Y-direction) guidance is provided by vertically extending guide surfaces on the rail's legs. Conversely, vertical (Z-direction) guidance is provided by a horizontal surface on the base and edge portions formed on the legs.

[0015] Instead, this guide rail provides two pairs of facing guide surfaces, each extending transversely to the adjustment direction and not parallel to the others in the cross-section of the guide rail. Therefore, the guide rail has a first pair of facing and non-parallel extending guide surfaces. Furthermore, the guide rail has a second pair of facing and non-parallel extending guide surfaces. The sliding element on the guide rail is longitudinally guided along the adjustment direction on the paired guide surfaces.

[0016] Because the angles of the guide surfaces of a corresponding pair of guide surfaces are aligned, advantageous guidance of the sliding element can be provided on the guide rail. Therefore, guidance can be performed in such a way that, during guidance, the sliding element is centered within the guide rail, thereby being guided on the guide rail along the adjustment direction to a defined centered position. Furthermore, the coordination within the sliding guide rail can be limited to four guide surfaces against which the sliding element is guided, and the sliding element is accordingly guided on the guide rail. This simplifies the coordination of the sliding guidance of the guide rail relative to the sliding element.

[0017] Specifically, the sliding element may have a first pair of sliding surfaces guided on a first pair of guide surfaces and a second pair of sliding surfaces guided on a second pair of guide surfaces. The sliding surfaces of the sliding element are preferably formed to be complementary to the guide surfaces of the guide rail. Accordingly, the first pair of sliding surfaces do not extend parallel to each other, and are aligned with each other at the same angle as the associated guide surfaces of the first pair of guide surfaces of the guide rail; similarly, the second pair of sliding surfaces do not extend parallel to each other, and are aligned with each other at the same angle as the associated guide surfaces of the second pair of guide surfaces of the guide rail.

[0018] In one design, the guide rail has a third pair of facing guide surfaces that extend parallel to each other transversely to the adjustment direction in the cross-section of the guide rail. In addition to the two pairs of non-parallel aligned guide surfaces, the guide rail also has another third pair of parallel extending guide surfaces. For example, these guide surfaces can provide a restriction in the transverse direction of the internal space enclosed by the guide rail, allowing the sliding element to move only transversely to the adjustment direction within the guide rail until it contacts one of the guide surfaces of the third pair. For example, the guide rail-sliding element pairing can be coordinated in such a way that, under normal operation, the sliding element does not contact the third pair of guide surfaces. If the sliding guide system changes due to wear, the sliding element may contact the third pair of guide surfaces, where, in the case of wear, the third pair of guide surfaces restricts the transverse movement of the sliding element within the guide rail, thereby limiting transverse clearance.

[0019] In one design, the first pair of guide surfaces, the second pair of guide surfaces, and the third pair of guide surfaces are arranged transversely to each other in the cross-section of the guide rail, forming a polygonal array. For example, the first guide surfaces of the third pair can be arranged between the first pair of guide surfaces, and the second guide surfaces of the third pair can be arranged between the second pair of guide surfaces. The result is an approximately hexagonal polygonal array, wherein the guide surfaces of the third pair extend parallel to each other, but the other guide surfaces preferably do not extend parallel to each other, but are aligned at an angle to each other.

[0020] In one design, the first pair of guide surfaces are arranged at acute angles to each other in the cross-section of the guide rail, transverse to the adjustment direction. Similarly, the second pair of guide surfaces extends transversely to the adjustment direction in the cross-section of the guide rail at an acute angle. The acute angles between the first pair of guide surfaces and between the second pair of guide surfaces can be the same, or they can be different from each other. The corresponding acute angles are preferably less than 90°, for example, less than 45°.

[0021] For example, the first guide surfaces of the first pair and the first guide surfaces of the second pair can be adjacent to each other, wherein these guide surfaces are aligned with each other at an obtuse angle.

[0022] By adjusting the angle, the centering effect can be predetermined. In this case, the angular position of the guide surfaces relative to each other can be chosen almost freely. Advantageously, the angular position ensures that the lateral force exerted to the maximum extent in the lateral direction due to the kinematic movement of the adjusting part is less than the centering force acting on the sliding element due to the angular position of the guide surfaces. This guarantees low-friction, low-noise operation.

[0023] In one design, the guide rail has a base and two legs extending from the base. Edge portions pointing towards each other are formed on the ends of the legs furthest from the base, with a slot opening between them. The slot opening extends longitudinally along the adjustment direction, allowing the guide rail to open outwards through the slot opening.

[0024] For example, a sliding element is guided within the interior space of a guide rail formed by a base, legs, and edge portions, wherein the sliding element has a portion passing through a slot opening. The sliding element can be coupled to a gear assembly, for example, outside the guide rail, through a threaded engagement between the sliding element and the spindle of the gear assembly via a spindle nut portion disposed outside the interior space of the guide rail. Thus, the sliding element is slidably guided within the guide rail. Operational connection with the gear assembly, and therefore drive via the gear assembly, occurs outside the guide rail.

[0025] In one design, the first pair of guide surfaces is formed on the first of the base and edge portions. Conversely, the second pair of guide surfaces is formed on the second of the base and edge portions. The first pair of guide surfaces and the second pair of guide surfaces face each other in each case, wherein each pair of guide surfaces is not parallel, but rather aligned with each other at, for example, an acute angle.

[0026] Specifically, in one design, the first pair of guide surfaces are formed on the first inwardly pointing surface portion of the base and edge portion. The second pair of guide surfaces are formed on the second inwardly pointing surface portion of the base and edge portion. The sliding element inside the guide rail is guided by the inwardly pointing guide surfaces, wherein the sliding element coordinates with the guide surfaces inside the guide rail that extend at an angle to each other.

[0027] For example, the third pair of guide surfaces can be formed on the legs of the guide rail, extending parallel to each other, so that the boundary of the internal space is provided by the legs along a lateral direction transverse to the adjustment direction.

[0028] In one design, a first pair of first guide surfaces formed on the base and a second pair of first guide surfaces formed on the base extend laterally to the adjustment direction at an obtuse angle (greater than 90°) in the cross-section of the guide rail. The first pair of first guide surfaces and the second pair of first guide surfaces are each formed on the base and are adjacent to each other on the base along a centerline pointing to the adjustment direction. The guide surfaces are aligned relative to each other at an obtuse angle, such that the guide surfaces rise outward from the centerline (along the lateral direction), and the internal space of the guide rail gradually tapers outward along the lateral direction.

[0029] In one design, at least one discharge opening for draining dirt and / or moisture from the interior space of the guide rail is formed between the first guide surfaces of the first pair and the second pair on the base. Because the first guide surfaces of the first pair and the second pair are angularly aligned, dirt inside the guide rail is guided to the discharge opening formed on the base, thereby reliably draining dirt and moisture from inside the guide rail.

[0030] In this case, one can imagine multiple discharge openings formed at regular intervals along the center line on the base of the guide rail.

[0031] Furthermore, it is conceivable not to provide any drainage opening at all, but to provide free space, such as in the base area, where dirt can accumulate, thus serving as a dirt collector and dirt reservoir.

[0032] Especially in the context of vehicle side doors, which are usually not adjustable relative to the vehicle body around a precisely vertical pivot axis, but rather the pivot axis of the vehicle side door is tilted at a certain angle relative to the vehicle body, and the position of the guide rail on the door can also be tilted accordingly, dirt and / or moisture can be reliably discharged from inside the guide rail by the angular position of the guide surface in the base area (as intended to point downward), because even in the tilted position of the guide rail, the guide surface will direct dirt and / or moisture toward the discharge opening.

[0033] For example, in one design, the sliding element may have a stripping portion, such as in the form of an elastic deformable lip that slidably rests against the base of the guide rail, through which dirt and / or moisture can be carried away and thus directed to at least one discharge opening to discharge dirt and / or moisture from inside the guide rail.

[0034] In one design, the adjusting part is hinged to the sliding element at its first end and hinged to the vehicle body at its second end, away from the first end. Therefore, an operational connection is established between the vehicle body and the door drive mechanism mounted on the door through the adjusting part, allowing movement between the door and the vehicle body to be achieved by adjusting the adjusting part on the door drive mechanism.

[0035] In one design, the sliding element has a structural portion and a sliding portion formed on the structural portion for sliding contact with a guide rail. The structural portion provides the rigid structure of the sliding element. Conversely, the sliding portion formed on the structural portion improves the sliding characteristics of the sliding element for sliding in the guide rail.

[0036] In one design, the gear assembly has a spindle rotatable about a rotation axis and driven by a drive motor. A sliding element is threadedly connected to the spindle, allowing the sliding element to move longitudinally in the adjustment direction by rotating the spindle. The spindle has an external thread, for example, that engages with an internal thread formed on the sliding element, such that when the spindle rotates, the sliding element rolls on the spindle, thereby adjusting longitudinally relative to the spindle.

[0037] In one design, the sliding element has a spindle nut portion with a threaded opening formed thereon, wherein internal threads are formed for establishing a threaded connection with the spindle. The spindle engages in the threaded opening, thereby coupling to the spindle nut portion, such that by rotating the spindle, the sliding element can be adjusted along the spindle axis, thereby allowing the adjusting portion to move to adjust the door.

[0038] Therefore, in one design, the door drive uses a gear assembly of the type of spindle drive, through which adjusting force can be introduced into the adjusting section to adjust the door. This spindle drive can be simply constructed with a few components and allows for reliable and load-bearing force transmission.

[0039] The main shaft nut portion of the sliding element is integrally formed with the sliding portion, for example, by injection molding in an injection mold. In injection molding, the threaded opening is also integrally formed with the internal thread formed therein.

[0040] In one design, the gear assembly includes a gear supported on a gear housing for transmitting force from a drive motor to a spindle. The gear may be, for example, in the form of a spur gear and may be arranged torsionally on the spindle. The drive motor may have, for example, a drive shaft and a drive worm gear disposed on the drive shaft and meshing with the gear, such that the rotational motion of the shaft is converted into the (reduced) rotational motion of the gear.

[0041] The type of door drive unit described herein can be used as a door drive unit on the side doors, rear doors, or tailgate of a vehicle. Furthermore, the type of door drive unit described herein can be used, for example, to adjust the hood or the so-called trunk (i.e., flaps in the front cargo compartment of a vehicle), which should also be understood as doors in this context.

[0042] Accordingly, the vehicle components may have doors pivotally arranged on the vehicle body and door actuation devices of the aforementioned type for adjusting the doors relative to the vehicle body.

[0043] The concept of the present invention will now be explained in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the figures. Wherein:

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a door on a vehicle body is shown, which has an adjustment part in the form of a thrust element hinged to the vehicle body, the adjustment part moving relative to the door when the door pivots;

[0045] Figure 2 A view showing an embodiment of a door drive mechanism for adjusting a vehicle door;

[0046] Figure 3 An exploded view of the door drive mechanism is shown;

[0047] Figure 4 A view of the door drive mechanism from the other side is shown;

[0048] Figure 5 A top view of the door drive mechanism is shown;

[0049] Figure 6 A front view of the door drive mechanism is shown;

[0050] Figure 7 It shows that according to Figure 4 The view is shown, but the adjustable part extends out;

[0051] Figure 8 It shows that according to Figure 5 The view, in which the adjustable part extends;

[0052] Figure 9 It shows that according to Figure 6 The view, in which the adjustable part extends;

[0053] Figure 10 A partial cross-sectional view of the door drive mechanism is shown when the adjustment section is retracted;

[0054] Figure 11 It shows that according to Figure 10 The view is shown, but the adjustable part extends out;

[0055] Figure 12 A cross-sectional view of a conventional guide rail is shown;

[0056] Figure 13 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a guide rail implementing the present invention is shown;

[0057] Figure 14 The basis for having associated sliding elements is shown. Figure 12 A view of the guide rail;

[0058] Figure 15 The basis for having associated sliding elements is shown. Figure 13 A view of the guide rail;

[0059] Figure 16 The basis for showing the tilted position is shown. Figure 12 A view of the guide rail;

[0060] Figure 17 The basis for showing the tilted position is shown. Figure 13 A view of the guide rail;

[0061] Figure 18 It shows that according to Figure 13 A view of the guide rail, showing the fastening points used to secure the guide rail to the gear housing;

[0062] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of a guide rail with associated sliding elements is shown, illustrating the forces generated during adjustment in a plan view;

[0063] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of a guide rail with associated sliding elements is shown, with the force generated during adjustment illustrated in the side view; and

[0064] Figure 21 It shows that according to Figure 15 The view shows the forces generated during the adjustment process.

[0065] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle 1 is shown, having a body 10 and a door 11 hinged to the body 10 around a door hinge 111, which can pivot relative to the body 10 in an opening direction O to open or close the door opening.

[0066] The door drive mechanism 2 acts between the vehicle body 10 and the door 11, and has an adjustment portion 21 in the form of a thrust element for adjusting the door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10. The adjustment portion 21 in the form of a thrust element is hinged around a hinge 20 on the vehicle body 10, for example on the A-pillar of the vehicle 1, and moves relative to the door 11 when the door 11 is pivoted. For this purpose, the end 211 of the adjustment portion 21 protrudes into the door interior space 110 of the door 11, and moves within the door interior space 110 when the door 11 is adjusted.

[0067] Figures 2 to 11 A view of an embodiment of the door drive device 2 is shown, which is used to adjust the adjustment portion 21 so as to move the door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10.

[0068] In the illustrated embodiment, the door drive device 2 has an electric drive motor 22 for driving a main shaft 25 of the gear assembly of the door drive device 2 that is rotatable about a rotation axis D. The drive motor 22 has a motor shaft 220 and a drive worm 221 disposed thereon, which has worm gear teeth that mesh with a gear 230 in the form of a spur gear of the gear pair 23.

[0069] Gear 230 is mounted on shaft 233 and is torsionally connected to portion 250 of main shaft 25 via shaft 233, such that gear 230 is torsionally fixed relative to main shaft 25.

[0070] The gear pair 23 is rotatably supported relative to the gear housing 24 about the axis of rotation D of the main shaft 25 by bearings 231 and 234. Specifically, according to... Figure 10 and 11 Partial sectional view and according to Figure 3 As can be seen from the exploded view, bearing 231 is housed in bearing bushing 232 and supported above it in bearing opening 240 of gear housing 24. Conversely, another bearing 234 is located in portion 245 of gear housing 24 and provides support for shaft 233 at the end of shaft 233 opposite to bearing 231.

[0071] The door drive device 2 has a sliding element 26 and a guide rail 27. For example... Figure 3 As shown in the exploded view, the guide rail 27 is housed in the receiving opening 246 of the gear housing 24 and is securely connected to the gear housing 24 by the flange portion 273.

[0072] The sliding element 26 is slidably located in the guide rail 27, allowing it to be adjusted longitudinally along the adjustment direction V on the guide rail 27. The guide rail 27 has a basic C-shaped shape in its cross-section transverse to the adjustment direction V, formed by a base 270 and legs 271 extending laterally on and angled to the base 270, with mutually pointing edge portions 272 formed at the ends away from the base 270. The sliding element 26 is guided in the guide rail 27 in such a way that it is accommodated between the legs 271 and circumferentially surrounded by the base 270, the legs 271, and the edge portions 272.

[0073] In the illustrated embodiment, the guide rail 27 is securely connected to the gear housing 24 via the adapter element 242 and the flange portion 273 abutting against the gear housing 24 (see in particular). Figure 2 and Figures 4 to 6The adapter element 242 is connected to the gear housing 24 by a fastening element 243 in the form of a screw, into which the flange portion 273 is inserted, and can be fixed to a structural part of the door 11, such as the inner metal plate portion of the door, by a fastening element 244 in the form of a screw, so that the door drive device 2 is fixed in the door 11.

[0074] The adapter element 242 is used to secure the door drive unit 2 to the door 11, particularly the inner metal plate of the door 11, so that the door drive unit 2 is arranged within the interior space of the door 11. Therefore, the adapter element 242 implements an interface adapted in a customer-specific manner, thereby enabling the door drive unit 2 to be attached to the door 11 of the corresponding vehicle model.

[0075] The adapter element 242 is disposed at the end of the guide rail 27 and extends transversely to the adjustment direction V in the form of a plate. The sliding element 26, having an adjustment portion 21 disposed thereon, moves toward the guide rail 27 along the adjustment direction V. The adjustment portion 21 extends through an opening 242A in the adapter element 242, is guided through the opening 242A to the interior space of the door, and is supported on the vehicle body 10 by the hinge 20.

[0076] The sliding element 26 has a structural portion 260 having a base 261 and a support leg 262 angled to the base 261. The structural portion 260 is partially injection molded from a plastic material, through which a sliding portion 263 is formed on the outer side of the support leg 262, through which the sliding element 26 slides in contact with the guide rail 27. The end 211 of the adjusting portion 21 is hingedly connected to the sliding element 26 via a ball-head coupling element. Due to the hinged connection, the adjusting portion 21 is hingedly connected to the sliding element 26 about the adjusting direction V and also about an axis perpendicular to the adjusting direction V, such that tolerances in the position of the adjusting portion 21 relative to the sliding element 26 can be compensated.

[0077] Furthermore, the sliding element 26 has a spindle nut portion 264 that forms a threaded opening 265 in which an internal thread is formed. The spindle 25 engages with the threaded portion 251 in the threaded opening 265, such that the spindle 25 is threadedly engaged with the spindle nut portion 264 of the sliding element 26 by an external thread formed on the outside of the threaded portion 251.

[0078] from Figure 3 and Figure 10 As can be seen, the cover element 241 is disposed on the gear housing 24, which covers the guide rail 27 on one side of the edge portion 272, thereby surrounding the spindle nut portion 264 of the sliding element 26 outward along the predetermined movement path of the guide rail 27.

[0079] like Figure 1As schematically shown, the adjusting portion 21 is hinged at one end 210 to the hinge member 20 via a hinge bolt 200 about the hinge axis G, which is securely connected to the vehicle body 10. Conversely, at the end 211, away from the end 210, the adjusting portion 21 is hingedly coupled to the sliding element 26. By adjusting the sliding element 26 driven by the drive motor 22, the end 211 of the adjusting portion 21 can move in the guide rail 27, such that the adjusting portion 21 can be in a first retracted position ( Figures 4 to 6 and Figure 10 ) and second protrusion position ( Figures 7 to 9 and Figure 11 The door 11 moves between the closed position (corresponding to the retracted position of the adjusting part 21) and the open position (corresponding to the extended position of the adjusting part 21) so as to move the door 11 relative to the body 10 and move between the closed position (corresponding to the retracted position of the adjusting part 21) and the open position (corresponding to the extended position of the adjusting part 21).

[0080] from Figure 10 As can be seen from the partial cross-sectional view, in the first retracted position, the sliding element 26 is away from the gear housing 24 and close to the end of the guide rail 27 away from the adapter element 242. Conversely, in the second extended position, the sliding element 26 moves toward the gear housing 24, causing the spindle nut portion 264 to approach the gear pair 23, and the end 211 of the adjusting portion 21 moves toward the adapter element 242 in the adjusting direction V.

[0081] like Figure 11 As shown, in the second position, the sliding element 26, together with the structural portion 260, is submerged below the gear pair 23 because, when viewed along the adjustment direction V, the sliding element 26 axially overlaps with the gear housing 24 and the gear pair 23 housed thereon. This allows for an efficient design of the structural space of the drive unit 2, in which the adjustment portion 21 has a relatively large stroke along the adjustment direction V and a low structural height transverse to the adjustment direction V, and particularly perpendicular to the hinge axis G.

[0082] like Figure 9 As shown, the motor shaft 22 of the drive motor 22 is tilted relative to the hinge axis G about its longitudinal axis L, about which it can rotate, and the adjusting part 21 is hinged to the hinge member 20 at its end 210. This can help save structural space, especially along the lateral direction (lateral to the hinge axis G and lateral to the adjusting direction V).

[0083] The door drive unit 2 can be installed in the door 11, with the drive motor 22 pointing upwards, or alternatively, downwards. In this case, the drive motor 22 can also be arranged at the end of the guide rail 27, opposite to the end of the adjusting portion 21 extending from the guide rail 27. As a result, the door drive unit 2 can be universally applied to different door models of different vehicles.

[0084] In the door drive device 2, to adjust the door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10, the adjustment section 21 is adjusted along the adjustment direction V via the drive motor 22 by the displacement of the sliding element 26 on the guide rail 27. A force flow is established between the door 11 and the vehicle body 10, extending from the door 11 through the adapter element 242, gear housing 24, drive wheel 23, main shaft 25, sliding element 26, and adjustment section 21 to the vehicle body 10. For adjustment, in this case, force is introduced into the sliding element 26 via the drive motor 22, and the sliding element 26 moves on the main shaft 25, causing the adjustment section 21 to be adjusted, thereby pivoting the door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10.

[0085] In the door drive device 2, the sliding element 26 is guided on the guide rail 27 along the adjustment direction V, so that the sliding element 26 is adjusted under the drive of the drive motor 22 and the gear pair 23, and can move on the adjustment part 21 to pivot the door 11.

[0086] like Figure 12 As shown, the conventional guide rail 27' has a C-shape in its cross-section transverse to the adjustment direction V, and has guide surfaces 275A', 276A', 277A', 275B', 276B', and 277B' arranged at right angles to each other. Guide surfaces 275A' and 275B' are formed on the base 270 of the guide rail 27'. Guide surfaces 276A' and 276B' are formed on the side support leg 271. Guide surfaces 277A' and 277B' are formed on the inwardly pointing edge portion 272 of the end of the support leg 271 away from the base 270. Because guide surfaces 275A', 276A', 277A', 275B', 276B', and 277B' are aligned parallel to each other in pairs, the sliding element 26 must be adjusted relative to the six guide surfaces 275A', 276A', 277A', 275B', 276B', and 277B' for sliding guidance, such as... Figure 14 As shown.

[0087] Unlike the conventional shape of guide rail 27', in this case, it is recommended to use guide rail 27, although it usually has a basic C-shaped shape, in which guide surfaces 275A, 276A, 277A, 275B, 276B, and 277B are paired, and their guide surfaces are no longer aligned parallel to each other, but extend at an angle to each other.

[0088] Therefore, according to Figure 13In the guide rail 27, a first pair of guide surfaces 275A and 277A are formed on the base 270 and the first edge portion 272, and they do not extend parallel to each other because, in the illustrated embodiment, the guide surfaces 275A and 277A are arranged at an acute angle α relative to each other. Furthermore, a second pair of guide surfaces 275B and 277B are formed on the base 270 and the second edge portion 272, and they do not extend parallel to each other because, in the illustrated embodiment, the guide surfaces 275B and 277B are arranged at an acute angle α relative to each other.

[0089] The first guide surface 275A of the first pair and the first guide surface 275B of the second pair extend relative to each other at an obtuse angle β and are adjacent to each other along the center line Z, which extends centered along the adjustment direction V at the base 270.

[0090] The guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B of the first and second pairs define an internal space surrounded by guide rails 27 along a vertical direction H that is perpendicular to the adjustment direction V and the lateral direction Q, and as... Figure 15 As shown, the sliding element 26 is guided along the vertical direction H, and also along the lateral direction Q due to angular alignment.

[0091] The third pair of guide surfaces 276A and 276B are formed on the support leg 271. The third pair of guide surfaces 276A and 276B are aligned parallel to each other and define the internal space of the guide rail 27 along the lateral direction Q.

[0092] like Figure 13 As shown, the guide surfaces 275A, 276A, 277A, 275B, 276B, and 277B of the first, second, and third pairs are arranged in a polygonal array on a cross-section in the transverse direction relative to the adjustment direction V. The first guide surface 276A of the third pair is disposed between the guide surfaces 275A and 277A of the first pair. The second guide surface 276B of the third pair is disposed between the guide surfaces 275B and 277B of the second pair. The guide surfaces 275A and 275B of the first and second pairs, formed on the base 270, are adjacent to each other at the centerline Z.

[0093] An approximately hexagonal polygon is generated on a cross section transverse to the adjustment direction V, wherein the guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B of the first and second pairs are angularly aligned with each other, but the guide surfaces 276A and 276B of the third pair extend parallel to each other.

[0094] from Figure 15It can be seen that the sliding element 26 has sliding surfaces 266A, 267A, 266B, and 267B on the structural portion 260, which are shaped to be complementary to the guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B associated with the first pair and the second pair, and are angularly aligned with each other, just like the guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B.

[0095] Sliding surfaces 266A, 267A, 266B, and 267B are formed, for example, by sliding portion 263, which segmentally covers structural portion 260 and is, for example, molded onto structural portion 260.

[0096] A slot opening 278 is formed between the edge portions 272 of the guide rail 27, extending along the adjustment direction V, and the sliding element 26 engages with the portion 264 through it. Figures 2 to 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the sliding element 26 is operably connected to the spindle 25. In operation, the sliding element 26 moves along the adjustment direction V on the guide rail 27, wherein a portion 264 moves within the slot opening 278.

[0097] like Figure 15 As shown, the guiding of the sliding element 26 during operation mainly occurs on the first and second pairs of guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B. The guide surfaces 276A and 276B on the support leg 271, which are vertically aligned along the vertical direction H, are specifically used to limit movement in the lateral direction Q, for example, when wear on the sliding surfaces 266A, 267A, 266B, and 267B causes an increase in the lateral clearance of the sliding element 26 in the guide rail 27.

[0098] from Figure 13 Combination Figure 7 , 10 As can be seen from Figure 11, drain openings 274 are formed on the guide rail 27 at the base 270, arranged one after another along the centerline Z and regularly spaced apart from each other. The drain openings 274 are used to drain dirt and / or moisture from the interior of the guide rail 27 during operation. For example, residues resulting from wear (e.g., abrasion) can be drained through the drain openings 274. Similarly, moisture that may have seeped into the guide rail 27 can be drained through the drain openings 274.

[0099] Because the guide surfaces 275A and 275B on the base 270 are aligned with each other at an obtuse angle β and inclined relative to the lateral direction Q, dirt and / or moisture inside the guide rail 27 are guided inward in the direction of the center line Z and can therefore be reliably discharged through the discharge opening 274.

[0100] In this configuration, the angular alignment of guide surfaces 275A and 275B ensures that even in the inclined position of guide rail 27, moisture and dirt S can be reliably transported and discharged inward along the lateral direction Q due to the inclination of the rotation axis of door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10. Figure 17 China is targeting according to Figure 13 The guide rail 27 of the illustrated embodiment is shown. In particular, compared to a conventional guide rail 27', the removal of dirt and moisture S can be improved, such as... Figure 16 and Figure 17 The comparison is shown.

[0101] To further improve the discharge of dirt and / or moisture through the discharge opening 274, for example, a venting can be made on the bottom surface 269 of the sliding element 26 (see...). Figure 15 A stripping device, for example, in the form of an elastically deformable lip, is formed on the base 270 through which dirt is guided and directed to the discharge opening 274 during the adjusting movement of the sliding element 26.

[0102] according to Figure 13 The guide rail 27 can be formed as a bent portion of a metal sheet. In another design, the guide rail 27 can be made, for example, from a metal die-casting or metal extrusion, or from plastic. For example, the guide rail 27 can be manufactured by aluminum extrusion, aluminum die casting, plastic extrusion, or plastic injection molding.

[0103] Due to the arrangement of the inwardly pointing guide surfaces 275A, 276A, 277A, 275B, 276B, and 277B, the fastening point 279 for fastening to the gear housing 24 can be positioned in such a way that (relative to according to...) Figure 18 The cross-section of the guide rail 27 is surrounded by the outer contour of the guide rail 27, and therefore does not protrude outward relative to the outer contour of the guide rail 27 defined by the base 270, the legs 271, and the edge portion 272. As a result, it has fastening points 279 that are easy to integrate for fastening the guide rail 27 to the gear housing 24.

[0104] Figure 19 and 20 A plan view of the guide rail 27 with sliding element 26 is shown. Figure 19 ) and side view ( Figure 20 A schematic diagram of ( ).

[0105] During operation, due to the axial force FA acting on the adjusting part 21, the longitudinal force F1 along the adjusting direction V and the lateral force F2 along the transverse direction Q act on the sliding element 26, such as... Figure 19 As shown.

[0106] Furthermore, due to the coupling between part 264 and the main shaft 25 outside the guide rail 27, torque M acts on the sliding element 26, causing vertical forces F3 and F4 to be generated between the sliding element 26 inside the guide rail 27 and the guide rail 27. These forces must be guided by the guide support on the guide rail 27, such as... Figure 20 As shown.

[0107] Although force F1 causes the sliding element 26 to move longitudinally relative to the guide rail 27 along the adjustment direction V, forces F2, F3, and F4 must be supported and absorbed by the guidance of the sliding element 26 on the guide rail 27.

[0108] like Figure 21 As shown, due to the alignment of the guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B, the vertical force F4, through the centering force FZ, centers the sliding element 26 within the guide rail 27. Because of the alignment of the guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B, the vertical force F4 deflects, and the sliding element 26 shifts inward in a centering manner. Therefore, during operation, the sliding element 26 automatically centers within the guide rail 27.

[0109] Preferably, the angles of guide surfaces 275A, 277A, 275B, and 277B are aligned such that, due to the force transmitted to the adjusting part 21, the centering force FZ is greater than the lateral force F2. Figure 19 This allows the sliding element 26 to be centered within the guide rail 27 by being deflected by the vertical force F4, even though the lateral force F2 is in operation.

[0110] The ideas upon which this invention is based are not limited to the embodiments described above, but can also be implemented in completely different types of implementations.

[0111] The type of door actuation device described herein can be used specifically on vehicle side doors, just as it can be used on tailgates. Furthermore, the type of door actuation device described herein can be used, for example, to adjust the hood or the so-called trunk (i.e., flaps in the front cargo compartment of the vehicle), which should also be understood as doors in this context.

[0112] List of reference numerals

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Claims

1. A door drive device (2) for adjusting a door (11) relative to a vehicle body (10), the door drive device comprising: Adjustment part (21) for transmitting force between the door (11) and the body (10). Drive motor (22) The drive motor (22) is coupled to the gear assembly of the adjustment section (21). The gear housing (24) at least partially surrounds the gear assembly. The guide rail (27) connected to the gear housing (24), and The sliding element (26), which is longitudinally guided along the guide rail (27) in the adjustment direction (V), is adjustable by the gear assembly and coupled to the adjustment part (21). Its features are, The guide rail (27) has a first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) facing each other and a second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) facing each other for guiding the sliding element (26) along the adjustment direction (V), wherein the first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) extend transversely to the adjustment direction (V) in the cross section of the guide rail (27) and are not parallel to each other, and the second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) extend transversely to the adjustment direction (V) in the cross section of the guide rail (27) and are not parallel to each other.

2. The door drive device (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding element (26) has a first pair of sliding surfaces (266A, 267A) guided on the first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) and a second pair of sliding surfaces (266B, 267B) guided on the second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B).

3. The door drive device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The guide rail (27) has a third pair of guide surfaces (276A, 276B) facing each other, which extend parallel to each other in the cross section of the guide rail (27) transverse to the adjustment direction (V).

4. The door drive device (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A), the second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) and the third pair of guide surfaces (276A, 276B) are arranged transversely to each other in the adjustment direction (V) on the cross section of the guide rail (27) to form a polygonal array.

5. The door drive device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) extend laterally at an acute angle (α) to the adjustment direction (V) in the cross section of the guide rail (27), and the second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) extend laterally at an acute angle (α) to the adjustment direction (V) in the cross section of the guide rail (27).

6. The door drive device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The guide rail (27) has a base (270) and two legs (271) extending on the base (270), wherein edge portions (272) pointing toward each other are formed on the ends of the legs (271) away from the base (270), and slot openings (278) are formed therebetween.

7. The door drive device (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sliding element (26) is guided in the interior space of the guide rail (27) formed by the base (270), the leg (271) and the edge portion (272).

8. The door drive device (2) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The sliding element (26) has a portion (264) that passes through the slot opening (278).

9. The door drive device (2) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) are formed on the first of the base (270) and the edge portion (272), and the second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) are formed on the second of the base (270) and the edge portion (272).

10. The door drive device (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first pair of guide surfaces (275A, 277A) are formed on the inwardly pointing surface portion of the first of the base (270) and the edge portion (272), and the second pair of guide surfaces (275B, 277B) are formed on the inwardly pointing surface portion of the second of the base (270) and the edge portion (272).

11. The door drive device (2) according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that, The first guide surface (275A) of the first pair formed on the base (270) and the first guide surface (275B) of the second pair formed on the base (270) extend laterally to the adjustment direction (V) at an obtuse angle (β) in the cross section of the guide rail (27).

12. The door drive device (2) according to claim 11, characterized in that, At least one discharge opening (274) for discharging dirt and / or moisture is formed between the first guide surfaces (275A) of the first pair and the first guide surfaces (275B) of the second pair on the base (270).

13. The door drive device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The adjusting part (21) is hinged to the sliding element (26) at the first end (211) and hinged to the vehicle body (10) at the second end (210).

14. The door drive device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The gear assembly has a main shaft (25) that is rotatable about a rotation axis (D) and can be driven by the drive motor (22), wherein the sliding element (26) is threadedly connected to the main shaft (25) and can be adjusted by rotating the main shaft (25) longitudinally along the adjustment direction (V).

15. The door drive device (2) according to claim 14, characterized in that, The sliding element (26) has a spindle nut portion (264) with a threaded opening (265) formed thereon, wherein the spindle (25) engages in the threaded opening (265).

16. The door drive device (2) according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The gear assembly includes a gear (230) supported on the gear housing (24) for transmitting force from the drive motor (22) to the spindle (25).

17. A vehicle assembly comprising a door (11) pivotally disposed on a vehicle body (10) and a door drive device (2) for adjusting the door (11) relative to the vehicle body (10) according to any of the preceding claims.

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